Synthesis, Control, and Experimental Validation of Robotic Systems with Multiple Working Modes

如今，机器人被期望在所谓的非结构化环境中执行越来越多的任务，通常包括人类和空间环境。随着机器人与人类互动、协助、服务和探索，新的研究挑战出现了。具有多种工作模式的多功能机器人操作器在应对这些新挑战方面发挥着重要作用。拟议研究计划的长期目标是开发多功能机器人系统，用于在非结构化的人类和空间环境中进行高效和安全的机器人操作，采用机器人操作器的创新设计和控制技术，可以模拟和扩展具有多种工作模式的某些人类手臂的能力。根据这一长期目标，并在我们最新研究成果的基础上，拟议的研究计划将推广最近提出的多工作模式机器人控制方法，并将其应用于涉及非结构化环境的机器人任务，需要创新的设计和控制技术。更具体地说，短期目标是：1)通过推广我们最近提出的多工作模式机器人控制方法，开发一种创新的机器人控制框架，以解决由于非结构化环境中的建模不准确而引起的问题；2)进一步开发弹簧辅助机械臂和控制系统，以实现灵活、安全的多工作模式操作；3)综合一种控制方案，允许具有多种工作模式的空间机械手在识别目标的未知惯性参数的同时，不超过抓取点的相互作用力的限制；4)研究和实验验证了基于关节力矩估计的机械手关节力矩控制，并利用连杆和执行机构侧位置传感器进行了控制；5)开发了适用于多种工作模式的机器人软件系统结构和程序，并对所提出的控制方法进行了实验研究和验证。

Robots nowadays are expected to perform more and more tasks in so called unstructured environments, including typically human and space environments. New research challenges emerge as robots interact, assist, serve, and explore with humans. Versatile robot manipulators with multiple working modes play substantial roles in tackling these new challenges. The long term objective of the proposed research program is to develop versatile robotic systems for efficient and safe robotic manipulations in unstructured human and space environments, featuring innovative design and control techniques of robot manipulators that can mimic and extend certain human arm capabilities with multiple working modes. In line with this long term objective, and building upon our recent research achievements, the proposed research program will generalize a recently proposed multiple working mode robot control approach and extend its applications on robotic tasks that involve unstructured environments and call for innovative design and control techniques. More specifically, the short-term objectives are planned as follows: 1) develop an innovative robot control framework by generalizing our recently proposed multiple working mode robot control approach for solving problems caused by modelling inaccuracies associated with unstructured environments; 2) further develop a spring-assisted robotic arm and control system for dexterous and safe manipulations with multiple working modes; 3) synthesize a control scheme that allows a space manipulator with multiple working modes to dampen the tumbling motion of an unknown target such as a tumbling satellite or space debris while identifying the target’s unknown inertial parameters without exceeding limits on the interaction forces at the grasping point; 4) investigate and experimentally validate control of robot manipulators based on joint torque estimation using link and actuator side position sensors; and 5) develop software system architecture and programs for robot manipulators operating with multiple working modes and conduct experimental investigation and validation of proposed control methods.